Queso Recipe

Sure, you can microwave Velveeta and salsa together to make a quick queso, but this doesn't take much longer (15 minutes, tops) and tastes much better.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups low sodium, low fat chicken chicken broth
4 cups shredded cheese
1 small can diced green chilies (or a couple of chipotles, if desired)
A few heaping teaspoons of fire-roasted salsa

1. Melt butter in large saucepan and add in flour. Stir with whisk to remove lumps.
2. Cook over low heat for a few minutes until it is smooth and has a soft nutty flavor. (Make sure the flour is cooked... raw flour has a distinctive taste).
3. Add in chicken broth. Stir until smooth, and cook until it begins to thicken (5 minutes or so). Stir occasionally.
4. Add in four cups of shredded cheese... I did sharp cheddar but Jack cheese is also good.
5. Stir in green chilies and salsa to taste.


You can use this as a queso dip (as pictured), or in cheesy chicken quesadillas, or my absolute favorite... chicken nachos (we use shredded rotisserie chicken).

Chicken Nachos
Using large pyrex dish, pour some of the queso on bottom.
Add in layer of tortilla chips.
Add in layer of shredded chicken.
Add on layer of queso.
Repeat for a couple of layers, and bake in a 350 degree oven for 5 minutes.
Top with fresh salsa, fresh cilantro, guacamole or sour cream.

This and that...

It was a productive weekend... just not for knitting or dyeing. But we finally finished some chores that we'd been putting off for entirely too long, so I'm happy. I just realized this weekend that I'll graduate with my Master's degree in about 8 months, which sort of snuck up on me.

A friend told me about a opportunity in my field and it dawned on me that I need to start looking at some point in the next couple of months, and that I'm not prepared to make that kind of a move yet. After the holidays, I'll start seriously looking at what- and where- my next step is going to be. In the meantime, I'm sorting through books, closets, clothes... donating, storing, purging or packing. I've been living with G for so long that it's strange to sort out my items from 'ours'.

So far, I've lived in:

• Louisiana
• South Carolina
• Virginia
• Texas (north)
• Texas (San Antonio)
• Netherlands
• Texas (College Station)
• Santa Monica, California
• DC Metro area
• West Virginia

I'm hoping to get a lot of knitting and studying done this next week, since I'm only working Monday and Tuesday.

On my needles:

• Dulaan hat 3*
• the irish hiking scarf I just need to focus on and finish*
• children's socks*
• scarf out of Patons SWS
• scraps dishcloth
• mohair scarf (on the backburner... not sure how I liked working with the mohair)
  
• aqua socks

*Priority for next two weeks for Knit Unto Others

I seriously need a couple of pairs of the Knitpicks sock sized circulars. But as much as I love the aqua socks, I think I'd have more fun knitting on more than one at a time so I don't get sick of the one I'm working on. I've been putting it off because I know that I'll end up ordering other stuff, too. Knitpicks is dangerous that way, but I'm going to summon up all self restraint and order them tomorrow.

Double-O Yum

We just got back from watching the new James Bond and it was great! A little longer than I like... two and a half hours and I usually get antsy. But the pace kept up through most of the two and a half hours. I didn't have a problem with the new James Bond- he's brutal, gritty, ice-cold and charmismatic without being campy. I'm biased.... I have a soft spot for men who are very intense AND coolly reserved. Yum.

And I adore Dame Judi Dench :)

I have pictures of happy feet:
These are the berrylicious fuzzy feet I made for a friend of mine's b-day. The yarn was dyed just for her and I love how they turned out! I mailed them off to her with instructions on how to wash them so they would shrink for a custom fit.

We went to go see a band play a few weeks ago and I never really touched on it... G asked me if I wanted to see a show and I said sure, why not. He mentions it's a band with a side burlesque type show. Ok, that's fine. We get there, and I notice that the crowd at the venue is a bit older than I was expecting. Then he mentions it is surf music... which I normally don't listen to. So I'm adjusting to that little tidbit when I mention there's a man with a mask behind one of the speakers... and he gives me this: "Oh yeah, I forgot to mention they all wear Mexican style wrestling masks." what? (Seriously, G should learn what 'disclosure' means).

The next thing I know... out they come in all black suits and different masks. With a Buddy Holly type guy and dancing girls. I was not even sure what to expect looking at the group up on stage but they were a LOT of fun!

catching up...

Not much knitting going on in Casa K... mostly being sick and counting down to Thanksgiving. I received a wonderful ecard from my secret pal with a cute little puppy on it- reminded me of Gypsy when she's actually behaving.

My SP8 spoilee has been working on some really cool crocheted slippers, and out of the blue, she sent me an awesome kit how to learn to crochet, a couple of patterns (not pictured because I promptly filed them like the organized person I want to be), and a cool wooden 'k' which is currently gracing my study desk! The patterns look like fun and now I can finally learn how to crochet. She's been such a sweet person to get to know. Thank you!!!

My yarn for the felted bag that I'm making for my knit mit kit pal arrived and it is a beautiful brilliant turquoise. Since there will be some needlefelting (my first attempt at that) I wanted it to be a bright color that would contrast well. It's a little more rich and saturated than the color would indicate in this picture but I love it. I'll start that this weekend if the pattern arrives in time.

And I'm nearly done with my first teddy bear for the Mother Bear Project. What a fun knit! All that's left is putting on the eyes and mouth (which has been a bit challenging... I tried one face already but it would have scared small children!) I also overstuffed the poor bear but then decided to put him on a diet and he is much more cuddly this way. I'm going to try to make another one for the Knit Unto Others KAL starting tomorrow.

Belated Saturday Sky

Saturday was cold and rainy all day... it's not snowing in the picture... just the reflections of my flash on the raindrops.

I received a lovely surprise on Friday but have hardly been online this weekend. Completely unexpected, and so sweet! I'll write about it tomorrow, when I'm fully awake!

Counting down till Thanksgiving... I'm due for some much needed rest.